Vision of the Sun
by karkashan
Summary: He offers her a choice. The clan, the village, the world; which is worth saving? Are any worthy of that salvation? Oneshot. Gen. Finite Universe.


The orange flames of the setting sun cast their rays upon the trees within the forest, almost seeming to force the sense of tranquility that Mikoto felt as she walked towards her clan's Nakano shrine. Sounds around her, the noises of the wildlife, began to flicker and fade as the daytime creatures bowed their heads and let those who were named nocturnal reign supreme in the coming darkness. Knowing, in time, that their roles would be reversed; that on the morrow they would rule the land, sea and skies under the blazing star that was the sun.

All of this was routine, all of it was normal. Save, however, for the deliberate crunch of a foot upon a twig, signalling the presence of someone behind her. For it indeed was deliberate, as Mikoto knew. This man that stood upon the rise of the hill at her back, his arm lightly resting on the trunk of a tree, was a ninja of high caliber. One flickering glance with her Sharingan was enough to tell her that.

"You have at last revealed yourself," Mikoto spoke quietly as she turned to face the masked man she knew next to nothing about.

The masked man's voice was deep, commanding, and condescending all at the same time as he replied back, "We both know that the only reason you are 'visiting the shrine' so often is to ascertain more information as to who I am and why I am here." His head tilted to the side, his only visible sharingan eye narrowing in sadistic amusement as he continued, "So then, matriarch of the Uchiha clan, tell me: who do you think I am? Why am I here?"

"You are Uchiha, that is obvious," replied Mikoto with a cutting motion with one hand, as if impatient with her current line of dialogue, "but you are no longer a loyal shinobi of this village. I know you not to be Madara, but the way you cover your tracks is far too similar to his teachings on the matter to be mere coincidence. You are of my clan, and you carry a grudge against both your family and this village. Why you are here alone, merely visiting our clan shrine instead of instigating war, is unknown to me. But, I believe that is why we are talking, is it not?"

"Interesting," spoke the man who was her relative, "you know me to have a grudge against you and yours, and yet you've still come out this way by yourself. Therefore," it was at this point his voice almost seemed to purr with the hum of malicious amusement that coated it, "you already know that I am unwilling to leave well enough alone until at least one grudge of mine is sated. And therefore you are willing to help me sate that grudge, aren't you?"

He laughed mockingly at her as he walked towards where she stood. "Could it be? The head of the clan and I both share a grudge? How fortuitous." Walking with deliberate steps, he headed towards her as if he meant to physically force her to move aside. Mikoto did not rise to the bait, but instead of it being a bluff like she had thought, he literally passed right through her, not stopping his gait until he stood with his back to hers.

"Which grudge will it be then, Mikoto of the Uchiha clan?" he said in the harshest of whispers. "Will you offer up the village to preserve the clan? Or will you sacrifice the clan for the greater good of the village? Or," he said in a mischievous voice as he turned around to whisper in her ear, "will you help me sate both of the grudges that I carry with me?"

Twin Mangekyo Sharingan flaring to life was all the answer he required.

* * *

"Oh, you're making friends," Mikoto said with a sunny smile, "how wonderful for you, sweetie."

Sasuke growled in his throat, "You don't get to be motherly to me now, Mikoto Uchiha! Not after what you did."

"Should I deal with this?" asked the tall man beside her.

A sigh. "No, Kisame, I will take care of it." Two sharingan flared to life, the three tomoe in each quickly spinning in anticipation of the forthcoming conflict. "It is a mother's duty to teach her child humility, even if he'd rather kill her."

* * *

"I love you, Fugaku."

"So this was your alternative."

"It is what will be best-"

"I have faith in your judgement. I love you, Mikoto."

A movement. A spray of liquid. A door soaked in blood.

A moment later, a child's eyes staring at his mother; staring at his father's killer.

* * *

FIN

AN: As stated, this is part of the Finite series, where the Mist's jutsu was altered somehow and Rin became Konoha's second Jinchuuriki. In this timeline, Mikoto (who in my headcanon is Obito's elder sister) turned against both her clan and village and joined up with Tobi, killing everyone in her clan except for Itachi (who she maimed) and Sasuke.


End file.
